We didn’t expect Mayon volcano to be so elusive. It was blocked by thick clouds for an unbearable duration. We kept glancing at it while at the third floor of Sampaguita Inn, just to check if it was high time to go to the Cagsawa Ruins, but unfortunately it remained the same.
We were then forced to check out their malls like Metro Gaisano and Pacific mall. We hit the food court to sample Bicolano dishes such as “Pinangat” and “Bicol Express”. Actually, we’ve tried them earlier in a hole-in-the-wall along the highway. Some even served “Kinunot na Pagi” which is sting ray meat in coconut milk. There’s Bigg’s Diner as well, which has some tempting selections with a Bicolano touch. But maybe it’s fate that we ended up eating in the food court.
We never saw a 100% clear view of Mt. Mayon. It was such a frustrating moment to think about. In case this happens to you, be sure to research on alternative things to do while in Legaspi. It would be an exhausting predicament if you wander around aimlessly like we did. That’s why we had no other choice but to enter their malls in order to use their free Wifi connection.
On our way back to Sampaguita Inn, we vented our frustration at the driver. He told us that it’s better to go to the Cagsawa Ruins to get a different angle / view of Mt. Mayon. And that we would have a much better chance of seeing the said volcano. We asked for directions that led us to the junction where the jeepney will stop. There we rode on a tricycle going to the site of the Cagsawa Ruins.
The belfry tower is all that remains of the Cagsawa Ruins, the rest have crumbled down. There were huge stone boulders right next to it. We found out that it was empty on the inside. Waterways were circulating around the area, maybe it’s for irrigation purposes.
Mt. Mayon was still invisible. We couldn’t get a postcard-perfect image of it behind the Cagsawa Ruins. We got so bored, so later on we hopped from souvenir shop to the next and even tasted their chilli fruit shake out of sheer desperation. There’s also fresh buko juice that you sip from the coconut fruit available for P25 each. What a sneaky marketing strategy for there was nothing else to do.
We’ve had enough of spending our precious funds here and there, thus we decided to go beyond the Cagsawa Ruins. We saw rice fields, streams and animals like dogs and carabaos. There’s also an ATV track nearby that we partially scoped out. There were arrows being painted on big rocks, maybe to signal the driver as to where to make a turn. The consistency of the ground was coarse black sand; heavy to the eyes. At this point in time, Mt. Mayon was still being such an eyesore.
This is probably the first time we have no good pictures to post here, mainly because it was a futile attempt for us to capture the real beauty of the Cagsawa ruins without the Mayon volcano in the backdrop. It taught us a valuable lesson to not expect a lot from every location we go to. We didn’t travel from Dumaguete crossing the Tanon strait on a fast craft then a four hour bus ride to Cebu City, a taxi cab transfer to Mactan airport where we boarded our scary propeller-powered airplane to Legaspi just to see a big cloud formation.
For our parting words, we only saw Mt. Mayon when we were at the airport, scheduled to fly back to Cebu.
What to Do at the Cagsawa Ruins
1. Sili shake for P20 – P50 pesos with free key chain.
2. DIY Camera trick shots in front of the church belfry. If you’re traveling alone, just ask a stranger or get professional help as there are freelance photographers offering their services for a small donation.
3. Rehydrate with fresh buko juice at P25 / piece.
4. Buy pasalubong – they have tons of stuff on display there.
5. There are ATVs for rent outside the Cagsawa ruins.
6. Try trekking towards the rice fields. Scope out the black sand, huge rock boulders and streams.
7. Take pictures of / with the carabaos there.
8. If you have money to burn, eat in one of their food places within the Cagsawa Ruins.
9. Buy pictures of Mt. Mayon to bring home with you.
10. Pray hard so that Mt. Mayon will show itself.
How to Go to Cagsawa Ruins
It’s very easy to go to Cagsawa Ruins because it’s only a few kilometers from the city. That being said, it would take you around 30 minutes to reach the junction going to Cagsawa ruins.
Jeepney fare (as of May 2013) is P15/head, travel time is around 30 minutes.
Tell the driver to drop you off at the junction which is 500 meters away from Cagsawa Ruins. There’s a signage there that says “Cagsawa Ruins” to your right.There are tricycles there waiting for guests at P10/head, but we highly recommend walking to the site as there are lots of eyecandy along the way so you won’t get bored.
Entrance fee to Cagsawa Ruins is P10/person.
